Switch accelerator for clocks



:v SPL 15, 1931. w. H. GREENLEAF 1,822,927

SWITCH. ACCELERATOR FOR CLOCKS Filed Dec. 50, 1926 ATTO NEY Patented Slept. 15, 1931 WILLIAM H. GREENLEAF, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG-NOR TO VESTERN CLOCK COMPANY, 0F PERU, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION GF ILLINOIS ,SWITCH ACCELERATOR FOR CLOCKS Application led December 30, 1926.

invention, among others, is the production of a device of this character that shall be simple and inexpensive in construction and particularly effective in operation.

One form of mechanism embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as Well as others, may'be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of an accelerating unit of a clock mechanism with my improved device attached thereto and on a plane denoted by the dotted line 1 1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view, scale enlarged, illustrating the construction and operation of my improved device.

Figure 4 is a side view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 3. y

Figure 5 is a detail view, scale further enlarged, in lengthwise section through the spring support, and on a plane denoted by the dotted line 5-5 of Figure 3. f

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the parts shown in Figure 5. 1

My improved accelerator7 although -not limited to use in connection with any special mechanism, 'is particularly adapted for use in connection with the accelerating mechanism of an electric clock, and for this reason I have shown it as applied to a mechanism of this sort` in the drawings herein, in which the numerals 5 and 6 indicate the supporting plates of an accelerating unit for an electric clock, which unit embodies a main shaft 7 vconnected by interengaging iingers 8 9 with the arbor 10 of a clock mechanism. A ratchet wheel 11 is secured to said arbor and is engaged by a pawl 12 pivotally mounted on a pawl support 13 of an actuat- Serial No. 158,103.

ing lever also pivotally supported between the plates 5 and 6 and at the opposite ends of a connecting bar lll comprising a part of said lever extending between the support 13 and an armature 15, the pivot for said actuating lever being at opposite ends of the bar 14C. A main spring 16 is attached at one end to the pawl 12 andat its opposite end to the plate 5, said spring acting, through the pawl 12 and ratchet wheel 11, to rotate the shaft 7 and hence the arbor 10. more detailed construction and operation of the parts thus set forth is omitted herein as not being necessary toa thorough understanding of the invention forming the subject matter orP this application, such mechanism being more speciiically set forth in my copending application (Case 111) iiled December 27, 1926,

`of Serial Number 157,058, and to which reiferencc is hereby made for such further understanding of the parts just described as may be desired. yThe armature 15 is periodically operated by energization of coils 17, as by the operation of a inale-and-brealr lever 18 pivotally mounted on the plate 6 and connected with the armature 15 as by means oa studf 19, on the armature located in a slot in an angularly arranged arm 20 on the lever 18, said slot being wider than said stud to permit the latter a limited movement independently of the stud.

The lever 18 has a contact 21 adapted to be moved against and from a contact on a conductor 23 projecting from the coil 17, it being understood that when said contacts touch each other the coils will be energized thereby drawing the armature 15 toward the coils to retension the spring 16 as hereinbefore described, and as especially set'out in my copending application hereinbefore vree'rred to.

vMy improved device, now to be particularly described, is for the purpose of continuing the movement of the lever 18 after its operation by the armature 15 ceases in each movement of the lever 18in either direction, my improved device being equally applicable in other cases where similarmovement of parts is desired, and comprising a supporting post 24 secured in the plate 6 and projecting upwardly therefrom. A notch is cut into the outer surface of the post extending lengthwise thereof, and an accelerating spring of inverted U-shape has one branch 26 located in said slot and pivotally held therein by means of a ring 27. The other branch 28 of said spring has an outturned end 29 projecting into a hole in the end of the lever 18, and as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The branches 26an'd 28 of the spring are so conditioned that said spring will be under considerable tension tending to force the branches apart when the members are engaged, as shown in Figure. 4. rIhe post 24 is so located with respect to the pivot 'of the lever 18 that the branch 28 Yof the spring will always rest on one side or the other of a line drawn through the notch 25 and the pivot of the lever 18, this being the dead center line. The tendency of the arms 26 and 28 to spring apart will cause the lever 18 to be forcibly thrown in the direction in which it was moving, and by reason of the free pivoting of the branch 26 in the recess in the post, this spring has the maximum of freedom of movement.

The ring 27 provides a ready means for closing the notch 9.5, and the branch 2G may be extended through a hole in the plate 6, and as shown in Figures 4 and 5., if desired.

The bent end of the branch 28 of the spring and the recess in the end of the lever 18in which said bent end projects are so shaped as to provide a point contact between the parts, in the structure herein shown the bent `end of the branch being pointed so that its sides will not engage the sides of the recess.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the .principlesy ofoperation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereofgbut I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the'invention m'ay be carried out by Vother means and vapplied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim- 1. An accelerator including a post having an opening extending lengthwise therein, a pivotally mounted lever, and a U-shaped spring having one branch extending in a direction transverse to the plane of swinging movement of said lever and its other branch freely pivotally mounted in said opening, said spring being under tension to move said branches apart and the branch engaged with the lever `being adapted to.move on opposite sides of aI line passing through the pivots of said spring and lever.

2. An accelerator including a pivota-lly mounted lever, a post `having an opening extending lengthwise therein, and a AlJ-shaped spring having one branch freely pivotally mounted in said 'opening to swing kon the axis of said branch and its other branch tensioned to move away from the pivoted branch and engaged with said lever and adapted to move to opposite sides of a line extending through the pivots of said lever and spring.

3. An accelerator including a supporting plate, a post projecting from said plate, said post having an opening extending lengthwise therein, a spring having one branch freely pivotally mounted in said opening and its other branch bent backwardly under tension to move away from the pivoted branch and extended 'to a position near said pla-te, a lever pivotally mounted on said plate and engaged with the end of the tensioned branch of said spring, said tensioned vbranch being adapted to move to opposite sides of a line extending through the pivotsof said lever and spring.

4. An accelerator including a post having a recess extending lengthwise therein in its outer surface, a branched spring having one branch freely pivotally mounted in said recess, a member surrounding the post to retain said branch in said recess, and a pivotal'ly mounted lever engaged with the other branch of said spring.

5. An accelerator including apost having a recess extending lengthwise thereof in its outer surface, a branched spring having one branch freely pivotally mounted in said recess, a member surrounding thepost to retain said branch in said recess, and a pivotally mounted lever engaged with the other Vbranch of said last mentioned spring, said branch having a. swinging movement in a plane transverse to the plane of swinging movement of said lever an d being adapted to ymove to opposite sides of a line passing-through l the pivots of-said lever and spring. i y

6. An accelerator including a post having a recess extending lengthwise thereof in its outer surface, a branched spring havingone branch freely pivotally mounted in said recess, a pivotally mounted lever having a -recess 'to receive the other branch of `said spring, the end of said other branch and the recess in said lever being shaped to iprovide a point contact, and means for initially operating said lever. j

7. An accelerator including a, post having a recess extending lengthwise therein in its outer surface, a plate from which said post projects, a branched spring having one branch pivotally mounted in said recess, a ring surrounding said rpost to inclose said branch that extends into a hole in said plate, and a member engaged with the other branch of said spring t0 be operated thereby.

8. In combination, a -post mounted at one end in a fplate, said post having a longitudinal groove and said plate having an 'opening 'registering with lsaid groove, a U-shaped spring having one branch rotatably mounted in said groove and opening, and means at the free end of the post for retaining the said branch in said groove.

9. In combination, a post mounted at one end in a plate, said post having a longitudinal groove and said plate having an opening registering with said groove, a U-shaped spring having one branch rotatably mounted in said groove and opening, and a ring enclosing the free end of the post for retaining the said branch in said groove.

VILLIAM H. GREENLEAF. 

